When someone searches for "plumber near me" or the name of your shop, the box that shows up with a map, hours, phone number and reviews is a Google Business Profile. It's free, and for most local businesses it's one of the most important things you can set up online, sometimes even before a website.
Here's how to set yours up the right way.
Before you start
Have these ready:
- A Google account (a Gmail address works). Use one you'll keep long-term, not an employee's personal account.
- Your exact business name, the way it appears on your sign and paperwork.
- Your address, or the towns and areas you serve if you go to customers.
- Your business phone number and website (if you have one).
- Your hours.
- A few good photos: your storefront, your work, your team.
Step 1: Check whether you already have a profile
Google sometimes creates profiles automatically from public information. Before making a new one, search Google for your business name and town.
- If a profile shows up and says "Own this business?" or "Claim this business," click it and follow the steps to claim it.
- If it says someone else already manages it, you can request access through Google. This happens a lot when a former employee or an old marketing company set it up.
- If nothing shows up, move on to Step 2.
Don't create a second profile for the same business. Duplicates confuse Google and can hurt how you show up.
Step 2: Create your profile
Go to business.google.com and sign in with your Google account. Choose to add your business, then enter your business name. If Google suggests a match, pick it. If not, create a new one.
Step 3: Pick the right category
Your primary category is one of the most important choices you'll make. It tells Google what you are. Choose the most specific one that fits: "Roofing contractor" instead of "Contractor," or "Hair salon" instead of "Beauty."
You can add a few secondary categories for other things you do, but keep them honest. Only add what you actually offer.
Step 4: Add your location or service area
Google will ask if you have a location customers can visit.
- If customers come to you (a shop, restaurant or salon), enter your address. Make sure the map pin is on your actual front door.
- If you go to customers (contractors, cleaners, mobile services), you can hide your address and list the towns or counties you serve instead. This is called a service-area business.
If you do both, you can show your address and add service areas.
Step 5: Add your phone number and website
Use the phone number customers should actually call, and make sure it matches the number on your website and Facebook page. Matching information everywhere helps Google trust your business.
If you don't have a website yet, you can skip this and add it later. That said, a profile that links to a real website looks more trustworthy to customers.
Step 6: Verify your business
Google needs to confirm you're the real owner before your profile goes fully live. Depending on your business, Google may offer:
- A video recording. You record a short video showing your location, signage, tools or equipment, and proof you manage the business.
- A phone call or text with a code.
- An email with a code.
- A postcard mailed to your address with a code.
You don't get to pick the method; Google decides which options to offer. Video verification is common now. Before you record, read Google's instructions carefully. Show your business sign or branded vehicle, the inside of your shop or your tools, and something that proves you run it, like opening the register or unlocking the door.
Verification can take anywhere from minutes to a few days. Don't change your business name or address while it's pending, as that can restart the process.
Step 7: Fill out everything
Once you're verified, finish your profile. Complete profiles give customers what they need and give Google more to work with.
- Hours. Regular hours, plus holiday hours when they come up. Wrong hours are one of the fastest ways to lose a customer's trust.
- Description. A few plain sentences about what you do and where. Write it for people, not for Google.
- Services or products. List what you offer. If you have prices, add them.
- Photos. Add your logo, a cover photo, your storefront (so people recognize it when they pull up), your work and your team. Real photos beat stock photos every time.
- Attributes. Things like "wheelchair accessible," "veteran-owned" or "online appointments." Check the ones that apply.
Step 8: Keep it active
A profile isn't something you set up once and forget. A little upkeep goes a long way:
- Ask for reviews. After a job goes well, ask the customer to leave a Google review. Google lets you share a direct review link from your profile.
- Reply to every review. Thank people for good ones. Reply calmly and helpfully to bad ones. Future customers read your replies.
- Post updates. Share specials, new work, seasonal hours or events right on your profile.
- Keep info current. New phone number? New hours? Update it the same day.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Stuffing keywords in your business name. Use your real business name. Adding extra words like "Best Plumber London KY" breaks Google's rules and can get your profile suspended.
- Using a P.O. box or virtual office as your address. Google doesn't allow it.
- Letting someone else own it. Make sure the profile is under an account you control. If a marketing company manages it, they should be added as a manager, not the owner.
- Ignoring it after setup. Old hours, outdated photos and unreplied reviews send customers somewhere else.
Need a hand?
Setting up a Google Business Profile is free and you can absolutely do it yourself with this guide. If you get stuck on verification, inherited a profile someone else controls, or just don't have the time to keep it updated, send us a message. Our team sets up and manages Google Business Profiles for local businesses, and we're happy to answer questions either way.